If you’re living in the United States, you may have watched an episode or two of the new NBC crime drama Hawaii. In my humble but informed opinion, it’s a lousy copycat of all the other crime shows on TV.

Hawai’i’s primary industry is tourism, and like a Disney theme park, the reality of day-to-day life is hidden by aggresive marketing by both the government and private industry. That’s fine, but realize that Hawaii comes from the same glitter and gleam and doesn’t reflect reality.

Sure, a news anchor of the local NBC affiliate got a cameo and there’s some pretty pictures of the palm trees and street signs, but it really didn’t remind me much of home. Trust me, the island I live on does not look like you’re wearing orange sunglasses all day and night.

If you want to see Hawai’i much closer to the way it actually is, catch the re-runs of Hawaii Five-0. It’s as much of a fiction as the newcomer, but somehow the plots are more realistic and the characters more believable – and if you’re into scenery, you can’t beat the fact that it’s incredibly easy to see where Steve McGarrett and company are catching the bad guys – my own back yard.

Sorry, NBC – not even close.

Aside: I’m baaack! (braces for the deluge of comment spam)

Image courtesy stock.xchng and Nathalie Beauvois.